Federal Member for Page Kevin Hogan has announced ongoing funding for new aged care places in the Clarence. The Whiddon Group Grafton will receive an extra 12 Residential Aged Care places. This is on top of the 36 Kevin announced last year. The new combined 48 places will lead to more than 60 new local jobs in the aged care sector. “This is great news for our ageing community and also great news for those looking for work.” Mr Hogan said. “It will also lead to many more local jobs in the Aged Care sector.” Whiddon Grafton Director Care Services Sandra Osborne said the organisation was “delighted” to receive funding for the new 12 Residential places, which would lead 60 more local jobs in the Aged Care sector. “We are all very excited about the new residential places and our new home and I would like to acknowledge and thank the support that our MP, Kevin Hogan, has given to improve access to care for older people in the Clarence Valley region over the past few years,” she said. “These new Residential places will help older members of our community to remain living in their community surrounded by friends and family – which is where they want to be,” Mr Hogan said. Ms Osborne said the new places, together with the new Residential places received in the previous year, enable the Aged Care provider to provide care to an additional 48 residents once Whiddon Grafton’s new home is complete in mid-2017. Stage one of the $22 million development opens in July this year and will see current residents transfer to the new building. Construction on stage 2 will commence following the transfer of current residents and, once complete in mid-2017, the home will offer nearly 50 new residential places. The new home will offer a total of 112 single and double rooms, specialised dementia care services, additional places for supported residents, and an extensive range of wellbeing, health, lifestyle and leisure services. Ms Osborne said the development of the new home and additional residential places will enable the Whiddon Grafton to help meet the demand for residential places and reduce waitlists for older people in the area, as well as providing a purpose built home that acts as a hub for services for older people and their families, with in-home care, respite care, social support groups and residential care available at the new home. The additional Residential places will also create additional employment opportunities in the region, with up to 60 new positions (FTEs) available as the new home becomes operational. These new employment opportunities are in addition to the construction jobs created during the two-year project and the increased business for local suppliers and businesses with the growth of the service, Ms Osborne said.